Promises: Words to be cherised, and kept
by momo300
Summary: Max Vaundenburg has come back to his word shaker after the war ends. When he arrives he comes to see, not the little girl he knew, but a woman in her place who has seen more than her young eyes should. He promised he'd see her again, and this time, he plans to stay.


"MAX! MAX WAIT! NO DON'T GO!"

"Liesel.. Wait for me.."

Liesel jolted up in bed screaming. She had the dream again.

Herr Steiner came into the room, and walked quickly to the bed. The bed sagged to the left under his weight as he sat down next to her, drawing her into his arms and saying sweet nothings to make the pain subside.

After the bombing of Himmel Street, Liesel went to live with Herr Hermann and his wife for a year. After that year Rudy's father came back and opened up his suit shop again. He clung to Liesel as if she was his last connection to what his life once was, and in truth she was. She was the sole survivor of the bombing of Himmel Street. His wife; His children; His friends: Gone. All gone. Stolen by death and carried into the stars to watch over them.

They stayed together most days, working in the shop together, and sitting comfortably in his home with some soup (although not Rosa's soup) and books and crosswords from the newspaper. Liesel moved into his home with him after a few months and stern lectures from the Hermann's for falling asleep at his home and returning late under the blanket of night.

Alex Steiner fell asleep holding Liesel, while she stayed awake, thinking about her family, friends, and how nice it would be to give another weather report to her Max.

In the early morning, when the sun was just peeking above the horizon with a pink tinge the color of a freshly puckered wound, Alex and Liesel got ready for their day. Not much is said between the two, just a mutual need and understanding of the other's needs.

At the shop about midday where the golden sun was suspended in the middle of the sky like a shiny gold nugget just out of reach. Herr Steiner was in the front making a suit for a usual customer; Liesel in back sorting different fabrics and threads. When the shop door was opened, and in stepped a man with feathers for hair and swampy dark eyes. Alex looked up at the stranger and recognized him from the description in Liesel's story immediately. He held up a finger, asking for a moment.

"Liesel, could you bring me my scissors?"

"Herr Steiner, they are out there with you, you must have lost them under your fabric again.."

"Could you help me look? I can't seem to find them."

"I would say Herr Steiner, if I were not here, you would fall apart like that crumbly cake I tried to make for your birthday, losing things like you do."

Liesel walked out from the back room, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked up and saw a gentleman standing in the room, smiling a beautiful smile as large as the ocean right at her.

"Max..?" She said quietly, walking slowly towards him. His smile only got wider.

"Max!" She ran quickly towards him. Getting enveloped in his arms, his scent, everything that was Max, as soon as possible was first priority. Making sure he was really there, she looked up at him.

"Is it really you…?"

"Yes, my book thief. My word shaker."

"Oh Max… I thought you'd… that you'd…" Liesel started shaking as tears leaked out of her eyes. Max pulled her closer and said "Don't think like that. I told you I would see you again, someday."

"I remember… I remember everything.. Reading with you under the stairs, the snowball fight we had, seeing you walking down the street with all those people…I remember things that I never saw, that I don't know happened…." The crying got worse as she clutched at him with her harms, thankful he was not in the same condition he was when he stayed in their basement (she would have snapped him like a twig).

"We can talk about that later, let's focus on now Liesel." He pulled her face up out of his chest and wiped her eyes with his thumbs. "Look at how you've grown. When I last saw you, you were a small girl.. Now you're.. you're a woman."

"It's been years Max.. Of course I've grown."

"I can not wait until I can hear them again, my libeling.. I miss you describing the day to me, even if I can see it for myself now."

"Oh Max.."

Alex Steiner locked the door to the shop and closed the drapes. He came over and touched Liesel's shoulder gently.

"Maybe you should take this upstairs, make him some food Liesel, and then you can make up the bed in your room for him." He didn't give Max an opening to bow out from staying with them for the night or dinner.

"Oh my goodness! You're right Herr Steiner! Come Max! I'll fix you some food and make up a bed for you!" She said excitedly, clutching at his hand and pulling him through the back but not before yelling "Dankeshein Herr Steiner!"

Liesel pulled me out the back door, and up a flight of stairs to the right of a vast courtyard surrounded by shops and walls. She took a key out of a pocket in her apron and jiggle the key in the lock unsuccessfully. I could see her hands shaking and her biting her lip slightly with her brows furrowed together. I took her hand in mine, stilling it from shaking, and helped her open the door. We walked inside her still holding my hand, pulling me along to a room off to the side. It had two beds in it, a small vanity, and a book shelf. She went to the closet that was inset in the wall, and pulled out sheets, pillows, and blankets. She set them on her bed, and started making up the bed for him, all the while him just watching her.

"I can't wait until I can show you all of my books, Max. You inspired me, and after the bombing, that's all I had left, the words.. I wrote about everyone, made up stories, wrote weather reports, so much.."

"I am excited to read them with you Liesel." He says contently.

The bed was finally made, and Liesel took his suitcase and his coat from his arms. She set the suitcase on his bed, unsure if he would like her to unpack it or not, and took a hanger out for his coat and hung it in the closet.

"If you want to put your things in the vanity the top drawer is empty, and I can clear out more space if you need it. I'll go cook you some food."

"Liesel?"

"Yes Max?"

"Not pea soup, okay?" Max smiled, and chuckled.

Liesel giggled, and said "My pea soup can't even compare. Why would I try to feed you it, when you've had the real thing?" She walked away giggling. She did keep looking back every few moments as he unpacked though, as if reassuring herself that he was still there and this wasn't just another teasing dream.


End file.
